Power unit for tire inspection stands



Jam 5,1954 P. CHOLLET 2,664,709

POWER UNIT FOR TIRE INSPECTION STANDS Filed July l2, 1951 2Shee'ts-'Sheet 1 +L-gj Z LvE/vroR PHIL/P E- CHoL/ ET Jan. 5, 1954 P. E.cHoLLET 2,654,709

POWER UNIT FOR TIRE INSPECTION STANDS Filed July 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet2 IN VENTO/2 PH/ L/P E. CH'oL L57;

A TTOQNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1954 STAND Philip E. Chollet, Indianapolis,Ind. Application July 12, 1951,` Serial No. 236,402

(Cl. (S0- 97) 3 Claims.'

- This invention relates to a 'structure of a power unit hydraulicallyoperated such as by .air for spreading apart the beads of an automobiletire casing when supported on a, stand. The inven- .tion particularlyrelates to a power unit which may be applied to that type of structurewhich is illustrated in the U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,173,795 granted'September 19, 1939. The invention constitutes not only the structure,but also the method of producing it, wherein there are. a plurality ofpre-formed cylinders initially spaced-apart and interconnected withsuitable llow lines and then formed into a unitary mass to serve as thepower operating source and to carry the necessary cross heads and guidebar together with the control valve.

In regard to the control valve, reference is made to a secondapplication being filed by me along with this present'application, thesecond application being drawn to the control valve itself. This secondapplication was led July 12,

`1951, `Seri-al No. 236,401.

1 A primary purpose of the invention is to provide a complete, compactunit which may be applied to thev stand with a minimum amount of labor.'A further important object of the invention is to provide a power unitwherein all of the various moving parts are maintained in proper4,alignment so as to promote easy and smoothoperation of the shiftableelements.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will becomevapparent to those versed in the :art in the following description ofone particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a View in prospective of a stand to whichthe invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view and lpartial section of the cylinder assembly;

Fig. 3 isa View in Vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 in Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a viewon an enlarged scale in eleva- -tion of a cylinderspacer; and

`ing outwardly from the plate.

The spacing plates I4 and I5 have their holes so positioned across thelength of those plates as to space the tubes I (land II a distance apartequal the spacing apart of the tubes I2 and I3, with a larger spacingbeing maintained between the tubes II and I2, Fig. 2.

The tubes I0 and I3, have their left hand ends as viewed therein closedby caps 2l and 22, secured initially in place by any suitable means,such as by brazing. The opposite ends of these tubes Ill and I3 aresuitably provided to receive and maintain therein the piston rod guideplugs 23 and 24, herein shown as being screw threadedly interconnectedwith those tubes. The inner,

f' adjacent tubes II and I2, have their right hand ends closed by thecaps 25 and 26 secured initially in place by any suitable means such asby brazing. As indicated in Fig. 2, the spacer plates I4 and I5 havetheir flanges 2i) in substantial abutment with the closure ycaps 2|, 22,and 25, 26. Preferably these spacer plates are anchored to therespective tubes by any suitable means, such as being brazed thereto.

The left hand ends of the tubes II and I2 def v tachably receive thereinthe piston guide plugs 21 and 28, herein shown as being screw threadedlyreceived in the ends of those tubes.

Within tubes I0, II, I2, and I3, there `are respectively slidablycarried the respective pistons 28, 29, 30, and 3|. These pistons arerespectively secured to the inner ends of piston rods 32, 33, 34, and35, these rods slidably extending outwardly through the guide plugs 23,21, 28, and 24, all as viewed in Fig. 2.

A cross tube 36 is laid across the topsides of the left hand endportions of the tubes, to be secured vparticularly to the outer tubes I0and I3, and to have transverse passageways 3l and 38 intercommunicatingbetween that tube 36 and the tubes I0 and I3.` The tube 36 is closed atone end by any suitable meanssuch as by the plug 39, and is left open atits other end. There is a longitudinally disposed tube 40intercommunicating with the tube 36 at any suitable position, hereinshown as intermediate the cylinder tubes I0 and II. This tube 40 leadsalong between the tubes I0 and II, spaced thereabove, tointercommunicate by its other end with the short cross tube 4I which inturn extends laterally across the right hand end portions of the tubes II and I2 to have passageways 42 and 43 intercommunicating through thetube 4I therebetween. This tube 4I is closed off at both ends by anysuitable means, such as by the plugs 44 and 45.

A transverse tube 46 extends across all four of ly along andintermediate the tubes I2 and I3 f to communicate by its opposite endwith a short transverse tube 5i which lies acrossthe inner` cylindertubes II and I2 acrossthe l'eft'hand en'd portions thereof parallel tothe tube 36 and in'- side thereof. That is, the tube' 5`I is spacedalong the topsides of the tubes II andv I2 inwardly from the tube 36.The'tube' 5I intercomumunicates with the tubes II and I2 through theYpassageways 52 and 53, this tube 52 being closed o i at its outer endsby means of the plugs 54 f a11d55.- Y H HViith the tubes I0, II i2, and13soass'einbled in respect to their spacerplatesum and i5, andthevarious interconnecting' tubes as yj ust described, this assemblyis'invested within a surroundngmas of. metal. .511,011 aslumnn, mdgenerally designated by the numeral 56. T he metal 56 is ilowedinbetween thevarious cylindertubes, and across `vthe capped ends, butLterminatesby end faces 51 and 5 8' at theouterends of. .the Openends ,cithose ,tubes mi@ Whihihe pistonplugs 23,24, 2 1, and 28 are positioned.Then theouterends Qf. the tubes @fiend 45 are reinforced by. bosses. ,of,the metaly these )bosses beingdesignated bythe vn umerals?) and. Thegeneral overall shape of the massof metal A5 6 1S rectangulanmrespect@the ,tonface 99, the side faces .6I andland the vend faces 51 and 58..The underside of theinajss 5 6 is corrugated to follow. generallyrthecurvature of the tubes from their undersides only.

From the underside of the mass56there are provided the downwardlyextending ears 63j and 6.4, each being bored out with a circular hole65, Fig. 3. tending valve mounting boss,66 which is pro.-

-vided to. support the control valve 61. Thus, with the cylinder tubesI6, II, I2, I3, and the interconnecting tube system, the. assembly is.,secured in a rigid mass of the binding metal 56 so that all parts arethen maintained in a secure, iixed manner, and areA also held againstleakage. .p

A guide bar .68 is passedthrough the ears 63 and 64, through the hole 65and thus secured in position' against longitudinal travel relative tothe mass of metal hereinafter termedthe control head block 56. On eachsid'e of the block 56, there are placed crossheads 66 and 16,l eachhaving a fdownturned leg 1I and 12 respectively through which the bar 68extends' so that these crossheads 69 and 10 may be guided to slidetherealong. The piston rods 32 and have their outer ends secured to thecros'shead 19 and the Vpiston rods 33 and34 have their outer ends se'-cured to the crosshead 69,

From the top face 99 of the block 56', there exftends a stud 13 which isused to support the block 56 in conjunction with the stand 15, Fig. 1.This block 56 is mounted centrally of the stand from its under side bymeans of the stud 13 and then there are end blocks and11 which are alsoattached tothe stand to support the outer ends of the guide bar 68.

There is alsoy provided a downwardly exf Each of the crossheads 69 and10 is provided with an upwardly extending neck and 8l respectively,across the outer, upper surfaces of which extend slots 82 and 83respectively, receiving therein the webs 85 and 86 of the tire engagingarms 81 and 88, Fig. 1. The webs 85 and 86 are retained within theirrespective slots 8 2 and 83 by plates 89 andv 90 overlapping thoseslotsl A supply of air under pressure is brought to the valve 61 throughthe hose 9i. Between the valve 6 1 andthetubes 36 and 46, there are theinterconnecting pipes 92 and 93, these pipes 92 and 93 connectingthrough the bosses 59 and 66 withthose' tubes 36 and 46. The valve 61 isprovided with an operating lever 94 by means of which the valve 61 maybe operated to put pressure selectively into either pipe 92 or 93, toleave those pipes in aV closed-off position, and to selectively permitthe exhaust `of the air through either one Oi ,thermes The normalQperatpnwouldpbe.suscitar vwhen the taf ie 9"4 is turned from its normalvertical1y depend;- mg position as' mui-cated m Figs, r and 5, u`1e pipe92; for e'xamplemav be Supplied .with gir underpressure, whereupon thecrossheads 6 9' and 1 5 would be moved alongnthfe guide bar 66: tojwardfthe block `56. Thenu with" the handle 64 turn'ed'to the right, forexample, air would be released through the valve from the pipe' 92', andair under pressure t'vo'uld be supplied through thepipe 93 to spreadapart those cro'ssheads' 69 and 16. The crossheads'" 69 and 10 rnay' bemaintained in any positions desired' along the bar 68 by returning theoperating handle 94' to the central position.A

More specically, the operation' is as follows.

A casing 96 is placed' uponv the rollers 91 of the stand '(5, andthearins 81 andBS are rocked overonto theY beadsof the casing. Thenl thevalve 61 is n1anipulatedv by means' of the? handle 94 to supply airthroughy the pipev 9'2 to? tlre cross tube 36.' The air under pressurein' tube 36 escapes into the` left' hand Vends of thev tubes I'0 and I3` via ports: 31 and 38', respectively, in' tube 36 and into they righthand ends: of the tubes II and I 2 via longitudinal tube 40, short crosstub'e 4I and ports'v 42 and 43' therein',y in` ea'ch" instance forcingthe' respective pistons 28; 29,; 30, and 3l, outwardly toward the faces51 and v58 respectively so as to' carry the cro'ssheads" 69 and 10through their respective interconnecting piston rods'v so as'v to'spread apart' the' crossheads 69 and 10', and thereby fold the' arms 81and 88 outwardly toward theY ends of the stand 15 to spread apart thelbeads of the tire casing 96. Thatspread apart condition may bemaintained by suitable manipulating' of the valve ,61 so that thepressure is maintained against Vthe pistons as above indicated; withoutany exhaust being permitted.

After the casingSS has been inspected, as may be desired, the valve 611smanipulated so as t0 open the pipe 92 to the atmosphere through thevalve 61 as an exhaust line and air Supplied under pressurew through thepipe line 93 flows Ainto right hand ends `of the tubes I6 and I3 viatube 46 and ports 48and 49 therein, andjinto the leftv hand ends of thetubes II and VI2 via longitudinal tubes 50; short cross tube 5I andports 52 and 53 therein, pushingnthe pistons inwardlyof those tubesl soas tovmoveth'e crossheads69and 19 toward the block 56, andcorrespondingly. Caluire @hearing .81 ahd ,t6 travel accordingly torelease theinpull` onthe casing 96.

Thus it may be seen that there is provided a very compact and simpleattaching unit to a tire inspection stand which has heretofore beenoperated manually. The structure embodying the invention provides for asmooth operation of the arms 81 and 88, and also provides as means formaintaining the desired spacing of the beads `of the casing, and this isof particular importance because there will be different sizes ofcasings to be inspected, and the mechanism accommodates itself veryreadily to those different sizes.

Therefore while I have herein shown and described my invention in theone particular form as now best known to me, it is obvious thatstructural changes may be embodied without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to thatprecise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. An operating unit comprising a pair of cylinders closed off at bothends; a second pair of cylinders closed off at both ends; said cylindersin each of said pairs being interconnected by passageways at both ends,and having a passageway in each instance interconnecting the passagewaybetween one set of ends in one cylinder pair, with the passagewaybetween the opposite set of ends in the second cylinder pair; a pistonin each of said cylinders; and a piston rod connected to each of saidpistons and eX- tending through common ends of the cylinders in one pairin one outward direction, and through the opposite, common ends of thecylinders in the second pair; means for supporting said cylinders infixed relation one with the other; a guide bar xed to said means; andcrossheads xed respectively to said rods of each cylinder pair; saidcrossheads being slidably engaged on said bar.

2. A power drive unit comprising a pair of side by side aligned innercylinder tubes; caps across one set of common ends of the tubes; shortcross tubes one each interconnecting opposite ends of the cylindertubes; a second pair of tubes, one each along the outer sides of saidinner cylinder tubes, wherein the said inner cylinder tubes both liebetween the outer cylinder tubes; long cross tubes, one eachinterconnecting opposite end parts of the outer cylinder tubes; capsacross one set of common ends of the outer tubes, said common endsthereof being opposite to the said common ends of the inner tubes; alongitudinally disposed tube interconnecting one said short tube at onecylinder tube end with one said long tube at the other cylinder tube endin each instance; and a metal investment about all of said inner andouter vcylinder tubes and all of said interconnecting tubes, and aboutsaid cylinder tube caps, common opposite ends of the inner cylindertubes opening through one end of the investment and common opposite endsof the outer cylinder tubes opening through the opposite end of theinvestment; said long tubes each opening outwardly from said investmenta piston in each cylinder tube; and a rod extending respectively fromeach piston outwardly from its cylinder tube end opening through saidinvestment.

3. A power drive unit comprising a pair of side by side aligned innercylinder tubes; caps across one set of common ends of the tubes; shortcross tubes one each interconnecting opposite ends of the cylindertubes; a second pair of tubes. one each along the outer sides of saidinner cylinder tubes; wherein the said inner cylinder tubes both liebetween the outer cylinder tubes; long cross tubes, one eachinterconnecting opposite end parts of the outer cylinder tubes; capsacross one set of common ends of the outer tubes, said common endsthereof being opposite to the said common ends of the inner tubes;longitudinally disposed tube interconnecting one said short tube at onecylinder tube end with one said long tube at the other cylinder tube endin each instance; and a metal investment about all of said inner andouter cylinder tubes and all of said interconnecting tubes, and aboutsaid cylinder tube caps, common opposite ends of the inner cylindertubes opening through one end of the investment and common opposite endsoi' the outer cylinder tubes opening through the opposite end of theinvestment; said long tubes each opening outwardly from said investment;a. guide bar iixed along a side of said investment; crossheads slidablycarried on the bar, one on each side of said investment; a piston ineach of said cylinder tubes; a rod fixed to a piston in each instanceextending therefrom two to one crosshead and two to the other crosshead;and valve means interconnected with said long tube outer opening.

PHILIP E. CHOLLET.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 254,741 Walsh Mar. 7, 1882 875,021 Westbrook Dec. 31, 1907`1,234,878 Corvin July 31, 1917 1,995,419 Derrom Mar. 26, 1935 2,111,134Allin Mar, 15, 1938 2,473,507 Bullard June 21, 1949 2,545,260 Cole Mar.13, 1951

